Joint parliamentary session over Yemen enters third day

ISLAMABAD: The joint session of the parliament in Islamabad to discuss whether Pakistan should get involved in a Saudi-led campaign in Yemen resumed today with Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq in the chair, ARY News reported.

The joint session has now entered in third day and continuing the discussion on the Yemeni crisis.

Tahir Hussain Mashhadi

According to details, Senator Syed Tahir Hussain Mashhadi suggested government to make efforts for ceasefire in Yemen. He also asked to send humanitarian aid for Yemen.

Tahir Hussain Mashhadi said Pakistan is one of the significant members of Islamic world and it should work for bringing the Muslim countries closer together.

Shireen Mazari

Central spokesperson of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) Shireen Mazari said that Pakistan should remain neutral in the Yemen conflict.

“This is not our war and we should not become part of it”, she added.

“Our military has already been over stretched”, said Shireen Mazari, adding that “the soldiers are fighting war on terror on their own soil and could not become the fodder of the war elsewhere.”

“It is our responsibility to defend holy places but at present there isn’t any such threat”, PTI leader said.

While advising the government not to send the troops to assist Saudi campaign in Yemen, PTI leader said that even Oman – neighbouring Yemen, denied to be the part of the coalition in Yemen war.

“We have already paid high price for assisting US in Afghan war”, Mazari told the session.

Shireen Mazari observed that Turkey and Iran have already decided to resolve the issue through diplomatic channels.

Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah

Speaking on the occasion, Senator Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah suggested that Pakistan should not become part of the Yemen war but it is our moral responsibility to do whatever is possible to strengthen the defence capability of Saudi Arabia.

“Pakistan enjoys ultra-friednly relations with Saudi Arabia, which has always extended political, diplomatic and financial support in the hour of need”, he said.

Syed Muzaffar Hussain proposed that issue of Yemen should resolved in political manner adding that a peacekeeping force of Islamic countries should be sent in Yemen to ward off the warring factions.

Saudi-Yemen Conflict

Last month, a Saudi-led coalition began conducting air strikes in Yemen against Houthi rebels. Saudi Arabia and Yemen share a border and Saudi Arabia says it is afraid that instability might spill over to its territory.

Saudi Arabia wants its staunch ally, Sunni-majority Pakistan, to join the coalition, and has requested ships, aircraft and troops.

Pakistan’s parliament began debating the request on Monday and no legislator has spoken in support of sending troops for Saudi to use in Yemen.

Although there are many groups in the complex Yemen conflict, Pakistani lawmakers fear it could develop into a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran, and inflame already simmering sectarian tension at home.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said he will defend Saudi Arabia’s “territorial integrity,” but has not spelled out what, if any, commitments he has made. On Tuesday, Sharif told lawmakers Iran should be part of the debate and urged parliament to take its time in coming to a decision. -Reuters